Realization
by Amanda-Hime
Summary: After Kakashi is emitted from the hospital from overexertion he gets home and thinks about how much Sakura has changed over the years and if he really ever knew her. Slight Kakashi/Sakura. Takes place during Shippuuden.


Realization

One-shot

Kakashi / Sakura Centric

Kakashi glumly walked into his apartment, he had just gotten out of the hospital from overexertion and was currently thinking about how his team was doing. Yamoto the replacement team leader that he had chosen had gone with his group team Kakashi to meet Orochimaru's spy at the heaven and earth bridge. The last mission team Kakashi had gone on had went fairly well they had managed to save the Kazekage with only one casualty Chiyo. He thought about how his students were doing hoping that Naruto was keeping his anger under control and that Sakura was safe.

He remembered when he had been called into the Hokage's office with the rest of the team to read there reports about the mission. He was completely shocked when Sakura read hers saying that she had been stabbed through the stomach with a katana while trying to protect Chiyo. Immediately guilt had set in and he had re thought his actions on the mission, he had left her defenseless when he had left to go after Naruto and team Gai had been busy fighting as well, because of his carelessness Sakura had almost been killed.

He sat back on his bed leaning his back against the wall thinking about how much Sakura had developed over the years. When he had first been assigned to be the leader of team 7 his first impression of her was that she had only become a ninja to be around her childhood crush and that when she realized what she had gotten herself into she would eventually drop out or be killed from her lack of skill. However she proved him wrong, during the Chuunin preliminary exams she had walked in with her hair chopped off. He had been surprised had she somehow gotten in her head that maybe Sasuke liked girls with short hair? He had been shocked when he had found out why her hair had been cut.

But that hadn't been the end of the surprises that day. Sakura had tied with Ino with an above average performance and although she didn't move on into the next round it was then he realized what potential she had. After that time seemed to go by at a sickeningly quick pace. Sasuke left the village to go to Orochimaru, Naruto went to go train with Jiraiya, and he went back into ANBU after Sasuke defected. Everyone did something over that time training, working, and waiting for when they could get Sasuke back.

He sighed as he shifted on his small single bed, but what did Sakura have to look forward too during those three years? His stomach dropped as he thought about how she must have felt, everyone was leaving her and the only thing she could do was train herself into exhaustion. Why had he always been so distanced and vague with Sakura? He had always trained and given time to Sasuke and Naruto but whenever she had asked to train he had made an excuse and ran away.

When he had returned after those three years he had been in awe at how much Sakura improved. She now knew medical ninjutsu and had inherited the famous brute strength of Tsunade. He wished that he could have helped her with her training after all he was her teacher he should have been there for her. He should have been the one to show her how to throw a proper punch or kick, he should have been the one to tell her when to stop training for the day, and he should have been the one to praise her when she accomplished something.

He turned and picked up the picture of team 7 looking into her innocent, smiling jade eyes. He turned again and picked up his old team photo looking into both photos and looking at the females present. He looked at Rin and Sakura they were so alike. They had both fawned over the popular mysterious guy while the other hyper guy had fawned over them.

He shifted as he put the pictures away, glancing over at the clock it read 1:57 AM. He turned and closed his eyes. When Sakura came back he would ask her out to dinner and get to actually know her for the first time. He didn't know why when he thought about that his heart raced and his palms became slightly sweaty but he felt content knowing that he could make up for lost time.

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Well this is my second story i hope that everyone enjoyed it. Reviews and constructive criticsm are always welcome if you want to read my other story it's titled A Silver Lining: That's What Friends Are For and the link is in my profile. Thanks to everyone once again and I hope that i can get more pieces on here.

Amanda-Hime


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